Petalite sat by the window of her office, the pair of shears that had been her daughter cradled in her arms. She ran her finger lightly over the blades as she gazed out over the city. That sickening, bright, ignorant city, full of people who only knew how to cower before the strong and lift up their hands to receive the benevolence flowing out from the Crystal Palace that housed one of the few decent members of their society. She was too soft on them, Petalite thought. She never gave a thought to whether or not they deserved her blessings. Half of them would betray her, given the proper motivation. One of them already had, and she and her co-conspirators held places of honor in the royal court. Petalite's hand tightened in anger, forgetting that she held the blade. She hissed in pain as it bit into her flesh. As she was digging in her desk for a bandage, a knock sounded at the door.

"Yes, come in," she said with as much calm dignity as she could project while bleeding uncontrollably. By the time the words were out of her mouth the door was already opening, and Hypnos came blustering in. Her first instinct was to glare at him, but she remembered the time Aether had come to her with that same look on his face.

"We have to stop them," he burst out. A sickening dread swelled in her chest when she realized that she hadn't spoken to either of her children in days. She'd assumed Calomel was off sulking somewhere, as was her usual habit after any kind of failure, and Pyrolusite's silence was nothing out of the ordinary either, especially when he was working on a project. He was supposed to be mass-producing his droid army to challenge the senshi, but in spite of his long hours in the lab, she had yet to see a single prototype. So what was he working on?

"Word on the street is they've got a nuclear robot. Untested and very dangerous," said Hypnos, as if reading her thoughts.

"Reckless fools!" Petalite spat. Had she more presence of mind, she might have asked him where he'd heard this "word on the street," but at that moment she was preoccupied with the image of the last two members of her family climbing into a deathtrap of their own making.

"I'm not sure exactly what the plan is, but they were talking about challenging Sailor Moon to a duel," he went on.

She seized his cloak, not caring just then how desperate she looked. "What do you need from me? Anything, I'll give it to you. Just promise me you won't let them go through with this."

Hypnos was taken aback. "I, uh, thought you'd be able to talk some sense into them."

She frowned and turned away. "Lately those two seem deaf to reason. Ever since…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. She rounded on him again, wild-eyed, and he noticed for the first time the red-stained gauze wrapped around her hand. "I can't reach them anymore," she confessed in a moment of vulnerability that seemed to startle them both. "But maybe if you and Aether could disable that robot… make them stop and think about what they're doing. I'll tan Pyrolusite's hide for this, that insubordinate little—" She broke off, terror and fury warring on her face.

"I'm not a babysitter. Aether and I have our own work to do," said Hypnos, in a voice that carried more pity than his words. He wished with all his heart that he could save the wayward pair from the fate they'd chosen. But his mission was bigger than them.

"I know. But if you're in the neighborhood… I won't tell Moros-sama. They're my kin, Hypnos. The last I have."

He nodded slowly. "If I'm in the neighborhood."

"Kai-chan wants to have another fundraiser," Akiko told Miruki as they were washing up after gym class.

"Again? Why?"

"To upgrade our publishing software. She says we need the premium-channel subscription."

"And she's right," Noda Misato chimed in, wringing her dark hair into a ponytail as she stepped out of the shower. "They've got a lot of major improvements to the design sensibility algorithms."

"You know, people used to design newsletters without any suggestions from AI," Miruki remarked with a huff.

Misato rolled her eyes. "They also used to crank them out one at a time with wood type and a printing press, but I don't really miss those days."

"I kind of do. Letterpress is a dying art," Akiko sighed.

"Not really," said Miruki. "It makes a comeback every few centuries. But anyway, the software we have is fine for now. Kai-chan's too fond of fancy toys."

"My brother and Yang-san agree with her," said Misato. "We've got to start taking ourselves more seriously. Don't be stubborn just because it wasn't your idea."

Miruki's lips twisted as she watched Misato saunter out of the locker room. "Everyone's taking Kai-chan's side lately…"

"Aren't you a little bit mad at her?" Akiko asked.

Miruki frowned. "Why would I be?"

"Well, you know, because of her and Chino-san."

A stunned silence followed. Miruki's whole body shook with anger. Her white hands clawed the sink. "Chino and… Kai-chan?"

Akiko gulped. "Oh crap. You didn't know. Well, you were going to find out one way or another. I know it's none of my business, but I didn't like the way they—"

"Stop talking!" Miruki snapped. She clutched at her head and turned away, feeling suddenly nauseous. Her best friend and her ex. She would have felt less disgusted if only she could be shocked by it, but instead she found it quite easy to believe. So many things were suddenly making sense. The nervousness, the careful avoidance. They way they often disappeared at the same time. Chino's weak, self-contradictory excuses for breaking up with her. Kai's over-sincere sympathy and inability to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you," she managed after a moment. "I just… how could they? Behind my back! While they didn't even know if I was alive or dead! I can't—I have to go. Excuse me."

As the door slammed behind her, Akiko cringed. "Oops."

Just as Chibiusa had hoped, the crowds in Ichinohashi Park lingered until well after dark, and Usagi managed to convince Mamoru that it was much too late for time travel that night. Lounging on his bed, the girls twirled the matching kaleidoscopes he'd bought them, watching the rainbow-hued stones tumble around inside.

They were rudely interrupted by a matching pair of pillows to the face.

"All right, Chibiusa. Time for bed. We have to be up at five a.m," Mamoru announced with all the sternness he could muster. Ignoring her squeals of protest, he turned to his girlfriend. "Usagi, you need to go home tomorrow night too."

"What?" Usagi squawked indignantly.

"Don't you have any faith in my decisions?" he grumbled softly, as the pair began to wail that they did not want to go home, and why was he being so ungracious, and could they please have a glass of warm milk?

Half an hour later they were both tucked under Mamoru's duvet. Chibiusa curled into his side as he gave her a soothing pat.

"Oy. When I raise my daughter I'm going to have to be stricter," he resolved, rather illogically.

Usagi pulled the blankets up to her chin, irritation plain on her face. Nights at Mamoru's were not frequent enough to make her entirely keen on giving up her spot, but it was Chibiusa's last night.

Even so, she couldn't resist remarking, "Man, I wish I were still a kid like Chibiusa." When neither of them responded, she rolled onto her side with a huff. "I miss being a kid. You can count on other people to do things for you, and you don't have to feel bad about relying on them."

"What?" Flushing, Chibiusa sat up. What did Usagi know about her feelings?

She felt vindicated when she heard Mamoru mutter, "When have you ever not relied on me?"

"I want to be a grown-up," Chibiusa went on. "Being a kid is full of disadvantages. You can't do anything on your own when you want to."

Usagi looked ever so slightly abashed.

Chibiusa jumped to her feet with such intensity that Usagi scrambled away from her. "I want to grow up as quickly as possible!"

Even though I'm already 903 years old, her rational side reminded her.

Sighing, she clasped her hands, a dreamy glow in her eyes. "Then I can be an adult woman in Mamo-chan's eyes, and maybe he'll look at me the way I want?"

Mamoru made a soft choking sound, while Usagi (somewhat smugly) reminded Chibiusa that she was, in fact, Mamoru's daughter.

"Will you both just make me happy and go to sleep already?" Mamoru cried in frustration.

Much later, when they had settled down again, Chibiusa found herself gazing at Usagi's sleeping form. A beautiful, real woman's body, so unlike her own.

Must be nice, she thought, unable to suppress a rush of envy. I want to look like her. I wish it would happen sooner. Why do I have to spend my whole life being short and little?

Usagi peeked at her with one eye. "Can't sleep?" she whispered.

"It's because you're going back to the 30th century tomorrow, right?" Mamoru guessed.

Chibiusa put on her cutest smile. "Yeah. Hey, tell me a story. When I was little and couldn't sleep, my mom would sit by my pillow and tell me stories until I fell asleep," she recalled.

"What kind of story would you like?" asked Mamoru in indulgent tones.

Chibiusa launched into vivid descriptions of tales about lost empires, cursed artifacts, and various supernatural beings. Usagi's brow furrowed, wondering when her future self had become so interested in B-movie tropes.

"…or stories about mirrors," Chibiusa was saying.

"Stories about mirrors?" Usagi repeated, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah. There's a legend about mirrors. That on the other side of the mirror, there exists a dark parallel universe." Chibiusa's voice took on eerie tones as a cool night wind stirred the curtains. "And if you look into the mirror on the night of a full moon, you'll be sucked in, and you'll never be able to escape. You'll be trapped forever!"

"It's an old European legend," Mamoru recalled.

Usagi glanced at a floor-length mirror that stood in the corner and cringed. "Oh, now I can't look at mirrors at night anymore! I'm going to bed," she groused, pulling the blankets over her head. "Stupid Chibiusa."

Chibiusa curled up between them and closed her eyes. Mamoru looked down at her with a faint smile.

"Chibiusa, you're such an adult sometimes."

You think so, Mamo-chan? She could feel them patting her back, whispering their good-nights. I really do want to grow up and be an adult already…

Sleep enveloped her.

Maiden…

It was a man's voice. Was it Mamoru's? Yes! That's what I've always wanted! I've always wanted to become a maiden…

The chime of a tiny bell interrupted her giddy musings. Again, like back at the park, she turned to see a pearl-white steed stepping daintily through a verdant, not-quite-real forest.

"Is that a unicorn? A Pegasus?" she wondered out loud.

He spoke to her, a warm voice thrumming in her mind. "You're the maiden with beautiful dreams."

"Then, when you said 'maiden…' You really did mean me?" Chibiusa's heart swelled, and she clasped her hands in excitement. The idea that for once someone might have sought her out, not out of sympathy or politeness, or because of her famous parents, but because he saw something in her, was more exciting than a talking flying horse.

He turned, fanning out his wings. "Come, take a ride on my back."

She stared, not quite comprehending.

"Come on, let's go," he urged. His tone was so matter-of-fact, as if this were a totally normal occurrence, that before she knew what she was doing, Chibiusa was hoisting herself up. This was crazy. She must be dreaming. But no dream was this vivid.

With a few strong wing-beats, the ground dropped away and they spiraled into the night sky. The breeze whipped her hair around her, fluttered her pajamas. She couldn't hold back a cry of amazement at the sight of the city lights below, myriad as the stars above. The sense of freedom was dizzying.

Below, a dark spot caught her eye. "Strange," she mused. "I wonder if it's just an empty lot."

For the first time, her companion's voice turned grim. "That dark place is the part of the city you were in earlier today."

"That's the Juuban shopping district?" Chibiusa exclaimed with a frown. "But why would it be dark, while everything else is illuminated?"

He didn't reply. She sensed a hesitation in his silence. Something was holding him back.

"It's okay," she whispered. "You can trust me."

He tilted his head to glance back at her, and she imagined a wan smile on his face. "Of that I am sure. Because you're the maiden."

"With beautiful dreams," Chibiusa repeated with just a hint of skepticism. Her rational mind was finally starting to catch up to her, and the weirdness of this whole situation was settling in.

"Yes." Still he was unperturbed.

She leaned forward on her elbows. "So, you can see dreams?"

"I can see yours."

One of her brows quirked up. "Does that mean whenever I'm dreaming you can watch, like a television?"

"Not quite. More like… a kaleidoscope. The true shape of your dreams is something only you know. But I can see their beauty. It shines out from your face whenever you smile."

From anyone else it would have sounded like a cheap line, but he was so earnest that she believed him without a second thought. A strange warmth blossomed in her chest. Someone thought her dreams were beautiful and special. Someone had noticed her smile.

She blinked. "Wait. How long have you been watching me?"

"I, ah… here! Hang on tight!"

They caught an updraft and soared higher, until they danced along the misty margin of the clouds. Dewdrops coated his feathers with a silver sheen. She clung to his neck, taking in the scenery with silent awe.

"Am I dreaming now?" she murmured.

At length, the damp soaked her clothes and a chill began to creep in. The Pegasus must have felt her shiver, because he turned and began a slow spiral back to Earth. She craned her neck for one last look at the city as they descended to Mamoru's balcony.

"Maiden." She felt a little thrill every time he said the word. "Did you enjoy the view?"

"Yeah!"

"Hold out your hand," he said as she slid off his back. Obliging, she turned, already expecting to feel the cool, smooth crystal of a little bell, because this was the moment he gave her the bell and told her his name. How did she know that? The room had grown hazy and warm. She already knew his name, didn't she? It was…

"Pegasus Kamen."

The young man bowed with a flutter of his cape. She blinked, half sure it wasn't what she'd been expecting. Suddenly she was very aware of the thin nightgown brushing her thighs, the long hair spilling around her full-grown body. That wasn't right, was it? Driven by some urgent impulse, she stepped forward. The room twisted and shimmered like a mirage. Light and shadow dissolved into a blur; the sounds of the city stretched to a buzz in her ears. Just as her fingertips touched his mask, something snapped and the world disintegrated.

Maiden, I know that soon you'll be filled with strength. I must… in order to save… I need the Golden Crystal…

In her bed in Crystal Tokyo, Usagi awoke with a start. She had a feeling she'd been in the middle of a dream, but by the time she opened her eyes, she'd forgotten it.

In the days since Serenity's announcement, Usagi had been highly conscious of her appearance in public. She took her time choosing her outfits in the morning, aiming for all those elusive midpoints: modest but not constricted, well-groomed but not extravagant, aware of but not a slave to trends. Self-aware but not self-absorbed. Even on her morning walks to school, Hotaru noticed, she maintained a slower, more dignified gait.

From a practical standpoint, she approved of the change. Usagi was the future queen, and for some time Hotaru had been concerned that she was avoiding the role. It wasn't a lack of responsibility, as it often had been in her mother's case. What held Usagi back was a cobweb-thin veil of self-doubt disguised as arrogance. Oh, she could see herself as a princess (and loved to remind everyone of it,) but she was only comfortable as long as she remained in that limbo, waiting for someone else to tell her she was ready for the next step. She pretended to think she was already Serenity's equal to hide the fact that deep down she believed she never would be. The nine-hundred-year childhood hadn't helped.

But now, suddenly and without much prompting, Usagi had stepped into the glare of the public spotlight, and was handling herself with aplomb. Hotaru wasn't surprised. She had seen her friend's potential long ago. The only thing that worried her was how sudden it had been. It seemed forced, as if she was trying too hard. Hotaru knew better than anyone that if Usagi had to keep up a false front too long, sooner or later she would snap.

So she couldn't help but smile when one day Usagi came bouncing out of her room with an irrepressible grin on her face, practically skipped all the way to school, laughed loudly, and didn't give one thought to decorum.

"You're in a good mood today," Beth observed with a soft laugh, when she met them on their walk home. "Did something happen?"

"Maaaybe," Usagi replied in a voice too giddy to hold much mystery. After a second's pause she could no longer contain herself, and pulled the dried flower out of the envelope in her pocket. "Seresu-chan says this is an amaranth and its meaning is 'forever!'"

"Ah," said Hotaru with a slow nod, glancing at Seresu in hope of some clarification.

"It arrived inside a birthday card," was all the information Seresu had to offer. All eyes turned to Usagi.

Atena voiced the question on all their minds. "Who was it from?"

"It's a secret," said Usagi, relishing their attention.

"Pegasus Kamen?" Seresu guessed.

Usagi's stomach dropped into her shoes. "No!"

"Hm… was it Chino-san?" suggested Atena, mostly to heckle Usagi.

"Erm. No." And thank goodness, Usagi thought. Who wanted to be in the middle of all that drama?

"I bet it was from Julian-kun," said Hotaru.

"What? Why do you think so? When did they become so close?" Seresu demanded.

"Hmm, never mind. I'm probably wrong."

Seresu's mouth snapped shut, and the others laughed at her. They settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the cool, sun-dappled shade of the trees along the sidewalk and the whirring of cicadas that filled the air.

Junko was waiting for them at the next intersection. Her school, Nishimachi International, let out half an hour earlier than theirs, and she probably could have been home already, but lately she had gotten into the habit of waiting for them.

"Hey, guys! What's up?"

"Nothing," said Usagi.

"We're embarrassing Usagi-chan," Seresu explained, and quickly brought Junko up to speed on the mysterious letter.

Atena, who had been turning the mystery over in her head for several minutes, finally spoke up again. "It was from Helios, wasn't it?"

The rosy flush in Usagi's cheeks answered for her.

Seresu, Beth, and Junko were on her in a flash, talking over one another. Atena and Hotaru, reluctant (for different reasons) to join in any discussion about Usagi's romantic exploits, found themselves nudged out of the circle.

"Oh, how could you hide that from us?" Seresu chided.

"He must really like you! You wrote back, didn't you?" Junko was asking at the same time.

"I wonder if he's still single," Beth ventured. "It has been a long time since we saw him last…"

"Nonsense!" cried Seresu before Usagi could say anything. "He wouldn't have any girlfriend besides Usagi-chan. I have it on good authority that they've kissed already."

"Who told you that?" the mortified princess demanded.

"Venus-sama," said Seresu, to no one's surprise.

"Can't she mind her own business for one minute?" Usagi grumbled under her breath.

"So… does that mean she and you-know-who are just friends?" Junko whispered to Beth. The redhead shrugged in reply.

Seresu was not so scrupulous. "What if he finds out about your budding romance with Pegasus Kamen?"

"Seresu-chan!" exclaimed Hotaru.

"It is not a budding romance!" Usagi protested.

"Indeed, Princess? The flowers, the dancing—why, he's met your parents already! This sounds like a real love triangle to me! I foresee only one end to it. They shall have to duel for your honor."

"Don't be ridiculous," Usagi snorted.

"Any man who acts like that isn't worthy of Usagi," Beth remarked. Seresu might be enjoying her manufactured drama, but Beth was going to make sure Usagi knew they were on her side no matter who she was dating.

Seresu, on the other hand, opted to double down on her absurdity. "You can't blame them! They're blinded by her beauty! A man in love is like a wild beast! They'll face off in a dusty street—no, no, on second thought, something more grandiose. A ruined cathedral. Yes, with sunlight filtering down through the half-shattered glass window, and some flying rose petals."

The movie enthusiast in Beth couldn't help being drawn into the cinematic details. "Hmm… I'd shoot in black and white, with just the petals colored. Like Sin City, or the ending sequence of Claymore."

Junko and Atena gave her puzzled looks.

"Really old shows," Beth explained. "From when Hotaru-chan was a kid."

"Watch it."

Seresu forged ahead with her narrative. "They'll face one another with some regret, for you see, they're not so different. Perhaps they could have been friends in another life. But they'll cross swords at last."

Beth made some sound effects, and the two gestured wildly, acting out the scene while Seresu narrated. "'Do you love her, Helios?' 'With all my heart!' 'Then you understand why I have to do this!' The angst, the jealousy, the heart-pounding adrenaline! Of course both their shirts will get ripped somehow, and they'll cut each other a couple of times—but prettily, you know."

Beth stopped her imaginary swordplay and gave Seresu a dubious look, but her friend went on, heedless.

"The cold hiss of steel on steel! Both men lean in with all their strength, breathing hot and heavy, their faces so close that it seems they might accidentally kiss at any moment! Then Pegasus will knock Helios's sword out of his hand, but he'll throw his aside because he's a man of honor!" Seresu was practically biting her fingernails. "And instead they'll tackle each other and roll around on the floor in a tangle of sweaty man-flesh…"

Usagi cleared her throat. "What kind of story is this turning into—Hotaru-chan? Do you have a nosebleed?"

"Allergies! It's just allergies!" Hotaru insisted, turning her back on them.

Junko knuckled Usagi lightly on the shoulder. "Pinky can go write a doujin. But you don't have to pick between them until you're ready."

"Or ever, if you don't want to," Beth added.

Seresu, who had calmed down enough to speak again, nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes. You must know I was only joking. I'm sure the three of you will reach an understanding and you can add them to your harem along with Perle."

"Helios isn't the type to start a fight," Usagi declared, pointedly ignoring Seresu.

The other girls exchanged glances.

"That's smart of him," said Junko, unable to suppress a smirk.

Usagi started to agree, then realized what she was implying. "Hey! He might not be much of a fighter, but he's no wimp."

"I'm just saying."

"It's not bad to be a gentle person," Beth offered in mollifying tones. "If I needed life advice, I'd definitely ask Helios."

"Yeah, but if you needed someone to have your back in a street brawl…" said Junko.

Seresu rolled her eyes. "She's already got you for that."

"Ha! Guilty as charged."

"What's a harem?" Atena wanted to know, and it was all downhill from there.

"It's no use," Hypnos declared, throwing up his hands. "She asked me to stop them."

Aether, gazing distractedly out the window, responded with a gloomy nod. As usual, nothing seemed to surprise him.

Hypnos leaned on the sill beside him and let out a long sigh. "We can't just stand by and watch."

"I know." Aether gave him a rueful smile. "My friend, I'm afraid I'm going to have to burden you again."

"It's never a burden," Hypnos replied, and for a moment his companion's smile grew warmer. "But what's up?" he asked after a moment. "You seem out of it today."

Aether pursed his lips. "I ran into the princess."

Hypnos's eyes widened. "Did she recognize you?"

"No, I don't think so. I mean, I'm sure she didn't."

"That's… good."

The silence stretched between them again. Outside, Crystal Tokyo's sunset faded from gold to pink and purple, then black.

"All right," said Hypnos, climbing up onto the window's edge. "I've got a robot to catch."

"I'll do what I can to back you up. Be careful."

Hypnos dipped his head in farewell, then leapt out the window, cape fluttering behind him as he plunged into the night.

A handful of crickets broke the silence of the early dawn as two young people slogged through the wet grass in frantic, hushed preparation. Behind them loomed a bulbous shadow.

"Remember," Pyrolusite whispered, "cooling systems first, offense second. And no backseat driving."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't complain to me when you get lost," Calomel huffed. Her brother liked to act like he had it all together, but she knew from experience that without his gadgets, he couldn't navigate his way out of a paper bag. She still remembered one summer when, after several days of pestering, he had agreed to take her out for ice cream on his hoverbike. Halfway to the soda shop, his homemade nav unit had shorted out. Ripidolite found them four hours later in Nagano.

"Don't worry, we've got GPS."

"Really? The palace is right there."

"You're the one who doesn't want me to step on any buildings. Besides, I found a brand new Garmin down at the junk yard that I was itching to use."

"Next you'll be telling me it has roadside assistance and a five-year limited warranty."

"I thought about it, but the surcharge for death robots is astronomical."

Calomel made a short, rough sound, a laugh threatening to become a sob. They didn't talk anymore for the next few minutes.

Pyrolusite climbed to the entry hatched and pulled a lever. The robot whirred to life, straightening from its slump, and its back lit up with pinpoints of intense orange light. Almost immediately steam began to pour out of the vents on its torso. Calomel clenched her fists in concentration, and the steam slowed to a trickle. If she kept her focus, her power would be enough to keep the temperature under control. Just barely. She swallowed hard and tried to calm her mind. Cold. Smooth. To use her kind of ice magic, you had to keep your emotions under control, draw all your passion into yourself and force it into a tight lump. She couldn't afford to waste a thought on fear. They needed it all right now.

Pyrolusite had advised her to focus on her goal if she started to panic. I want revenge. I want to defeat the enemy. I want to live.

"Wait. I've got a surprise," said Pyrolusite. He lifted a panel and flipped a few switches. There was a high-pitched whine, and a pattern of glowing blue lines and arcs flickered across the robot's hull for a few seconds. "Put your hand on it and try again."

She pressed her fingertips against the metal, closed her eyes… and felt the magic surging through her almost effortlessly. With little more than a thought, the steam faded. A thin layer of frost formed along the machine's surface.

"Amazing," she breathed. "What is this?"

Pyrolusite coughed into his fist. "I may have made a few, shall we say, unauthorized requisitions from the fortress's psi-net backbone."

"You stole this?" Calomel yelped, jerking her hand away.

"Relax. They were spares. I doubt anyone will miss them. When we kill the senshi, Queen Moros will have to forgive us."

Calomel licked her lips and gingerly laid her hand on the robot again. She had never felt so powerful before. It was addictive.

"Don't overdo it," he cautioned. "With that amplifier it'll be easy to drain your reserves without realizing it."

"I've been casting spells longer than you've been tinkering with machines," she reminded him.

"Doubt it. I built my first radio when I was three."

"Well, I know my own limits."

"All right, then. You ready?"

Deep breath. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Pyrolusite offered her a hand up. Just as she reached the top of the ladder, serendipitously, dawn broke over the distant horizon and a refreshing wind swept up the hillside. The pair stopped for a few seconds to take it in.

Calomel let go of her brother's hand. He lingered for a moment, like he was trying to memorize her features.

"Cal, in case we don't survive this… it's been fun."

He swung down the hatch and vanished into the cockpit.